And he remained {qawwī QWY Pael} there five days, and when he returned, he said: how beautiful that {hāy f.} village is!
{AFAIK “beautiful” should be fem-abs šappīrā}
[2014-09-15: as in ܫܰܦܝܪܐ ܗ̱ܝ ܡܶܠܚܐ. (Mk9:50)]

Every day in the morning: I was going out {nāp̄eq wḗṯ} to the garden and I was picking a handful {kappā} of roses and flowers.

2014-06-01

ܒܛܰܗܪܐ ܐܳܙܶܠ ܗ̱ܘܝܬ̥ ܠܟܰܪܡܐ ܘܩܳܛܶܦ ܗ̱ܘܝܬ̥ ܡܠܶܐ ܣܰܠܐ ܥܶܢܒ̈ܐ ܘܬܺܐܢ̈ܐ.

In the noon {ṭahrā}, I was going to the vineyard, and was picking a basketful of {mlē, pass.pt.constr.} olives and figs.

ظهر (ẓUhr) // construct state adj. (or rather pass.pt.) “A-ed” + emph. st. noun “B” + “C” = “A-ed B of C” Cf. 2014-05-032014-06-03
mlē + B (emph. st.) = B-ful, as in basketful, handful, etc.
The question is, how should the following nouns be understood?
Theory 1: They are modified by mlē (“filled olives”), where mlē is modified by sallā (“basket-filled olives”).
Theory 2: Apposition (“full of basket—olives and figs”).
This construction is different from the “filled with the spirit” type, because “basket” is a unit (it’s not like “filled with a basket”), and it seems impossible to interpret this as “a basket filled with olives” because the genitive of the con. st. is NOT olives, assuming that the con. st. stands immediately before the genitive (N §208). Basically, the sentence says “I picked a lot of olives” “I picked a …ful of olives” and the “basket” is additional info to explain “…ful”. So I guess I’m supporting Theory 1.
So how is that different from ܟܝܣܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܙܘ̈ܙܐ “a bag filled with money”?
I think that if you really want to talk about the basket you used, rather than the olives you got, you could say
ܣܰܠܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܥܶܢܒ̈ܐ “a basket filled with olives”.
But obviously you can’t put that phrase after “I picked”, unless you’re talking about fantasy trees whose fruits are baskets.
In short, ܣܰܠܐ ܡܠܶܐ “a basket filled with”
and ܡܠܶܐ ܣܰܠܐ “a basketful of” are different.
Although in general you can put an adjective anywhere (before or after a noun) in Syriac, the construct state is intrinsically position-sensitive, where the word order does matter.
2017-05-10 Perhaps one can understand this based on the phrase “to fill the basket with olives and figs”, where both “the basket” and “with olives and figs” are objects in Syriac. Its passive form can be “the basket filled with olives and figs”, but it also can be “olives and figs filled into the basket” i.e. “a basket(ful) of olives and figs”. That is, mlē is not in the const. st., but in the abs. st. See N §291.

2014-05-22

And the sister laughed {gḥaḵ} and said: “No, my dear, because ʾAlāhā — when he formed us {gḇal} — brew/breathed into us, and#2 the breath {nešmā} [was] from his spirit… Because of this-f (=therefore), rain does not impact us#3.”

#2 OR if translating ʾāp̄ as “even”: “brew, into us, even his [very] breath from his spirit”

meṭṭayyaḇ, from
ܐܶܬܛܰܝܰܒ (ʾeṭṭayyaḇ Cf. N §26B) Ethpa. “to be prepared, to prepare oneself, to be present”,
from ṭayyeḇ Pa. “to get ready, to prepare”

ܠܐ، ܠܐ ܡܶܬܛܰܝܒ̥ܐ ܐ̱ܢܐ ܒܥܺܕܬܐ.

11
ܐܰܪܰܐ ܡܳܚܶܐ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ ܟܺܐܦ̈ܐ ܒܩ̈ܰܛܐ؟

MḤY = to strike.
kḗp̄ā f. stone (N §84) [as in σὺ κληθήσῃ Κηφᾶς — 2014-08-29].
This should mean “throw stones to cats”, though in theory it could also mean “strike stones with cats”.

ܠܐ، ܠܐ ܡܳܚܝܐ ܐ̱ܢܐ ܟܺܐܦ̈ܐ ܒܩ̈ܰܛܐ.

Pael + Object Suffixes (Perfect)

2014-05-24

1. [sg-3m] qaṭṭel becomes qaṭ(ṭə)l- before a vowel, by reducing the e to (ə):
qaṭ(ṭə)lèh1, qaṭ(ṭə)lāh; qaṭ(ṭə)lāk, qaṭ(ṭə)lèḵẙ1; qaṭ(ṭə)lan(ẙ).
Like in Peal, the old stem is used before a consonant: qaṭṭelḵṓn1, qaṭṭelḵēn.

1 Starting today, I’ll use è (instead of é) for ES e WS e,
while keeping ḕ as is for ES ē WS ī (and ṑ as is for ES ō WS ū).2014-05-27 I’ve replaced every é in transliteration on this page with è.
This way, (1) what is a wider E in ES is shown by è, conceptually like in French, and (2) Now ES ḕ is a long version of ES è, which makes more sense (actually I had already used è this way on 2014-04-16, when I wrote “kəṯāḇā ¦da-ḏ(ə)yāTÈqḕ […] perhaps the È is long (ḕ).”).2014-08-28 I’ve replaced ḕ with ḗ, ṑ with ṓ.

The examples in N §187 show that the 2nd rad. is hard and the 3rd rad. is soft, clearly suggesting that the 2nd rad. is (essentially) doubled even after the verb is suffixed.ܒܰܪܟ̥ܶܗ (bar(rə)ḵèh) “he blessed him” from
ܒܰܪܶܟܩܰܒ̊ܠܰܢ (qab(bə)lan) “he received us” from
ܩܰܒܶܠܦܰܩܶܕܟ̥ܘܿܢ (paqqeḏḵṓn) “he ordered you” from
ܦܰܩܶܕ

2. [sg-3f] qaṭ(ṭə)laṯ becomes qaṭṭelṯ- before a vowel, by deleting the stem-end a (because *qaṭṭ(ə)laṯ-èh is “too open”), and restoring the ə as e (because *qaṭṭ(ə)lṯ-èh, with four consecutive consonants, is impossible):
qaṭṭelṯèh, qaṭṭelṯāh; qaṭṭelṯāḵ, qaṭṭelṯèḵẙ; qaṭṭelṯan(ẙ); BUT qaṭ(ṭə)laṯḵṓn, qaṭ(ṭə)laṯḵēn.ܩܰܒܶܠܬ̥ܶܗ (qabbelṯèh) “she received him” from
ܩܰܒܠܰܬ̥ܛܰܒ̊ܰܥܬ̥ܰܢܝ̱ (ṭabbaʕṯan) “she dipped me” from
ܛܰܒ̊ܥܰܬ̥
Thackston is wrong again, reading these forms as *qaṭṭlāṯ-.
Don’t listen to him.
A good paradigm is in Ungnad (1913), pp. 120–1, not to mention Mingana.

2014-05-25

3. [sg-1c] qaṭ(ṭə)lèṯ (Mingana shows a hard T in the base form too, but probably just a typo) gets a suffix just like in Peal.
That is, (α) a suffixed form is very similar to sg-3f, but with a hard T: qaṭṭeltèh, qaṭṭeltāh{##}; qaṭṭeltāḵ, qaṭṭeltēḵẙ;
(β) the new stem (maybe with -ə-) is used before a consonant too (+pl2) — which is different from sg3f + pl2: qaṭṭelt(ə)ḵṓn, qaṭṭelt(ə)ḵēn.
Like in Peal, Thackston is using the wrong (old) stem for (β), but he is roughly correct about (α) except for the hardness of T.
N §187 ܚܰܝܶܠܬ̊ܳܟ (ḥayyeltāḵ) “I strengthened thee” from
ܚܰܝܠܶܬ̥ (ḥay(yə)lèṯ)
Gal 1:12 ܩܰܒܶܠܬܳܗ̇ (qabbeltāh) “I received her”
ES ܩܲܒܸ̇ܠܬܵܗ̇ (the dot above B may be a Quššāyā, but there is a similar dot above L or Q{#}) // from ܩܰܒܠܶܬ̥ (qab(b)lèṯ) ES ܩܲܒ݁ܠܹ̇ܬ݂ (a dot above L{#})
Titus 1:5
ܦܰܩܶܕܬܳܟ (paqqeḏtāḵ2) “I ordered thee”
ES ܦܲܩܸ̇ܕܬܵܟ (A dot above Q{#}; D is not marked) // from
ܦܶܩܕܶܬ̥ (peqqəḏèṯ2)
Mt 28:20 ܦܰܩܶܕܬܟ̥ܘܢ (paqqeḏt(ə)ḵṓn2) “I ordered you guys”
ES ܦܲܩܸܕ݂ܬ̇ܟ݂ܘܿܢ (D is marked soft; the dot above T may be a general dot or a Quššāyā dot{#}) — a real example where the new stem is used in sg-1c +pl-2m!2Peshitta Tool makes the D hard,
which means assimilation to T, or falling away (N §26B: paqqe(t)tāḵ, paqqe(t)təḵṓn), à la ʕḗ(t)tā “church”.

# 2014-08-19: The mystery dot should be for the 1c-sg Pf [N §6, Tack xii(3)].

2014-05-26

Other stems take a long vowel (-ů → û, -ẙ → ī, otherwise +ā).
The pl-3m and pl-3f lose the stem-end vowel, because a form like *qaṭṭel-û-n, *qaṭṭel-ā-n would be too “vowel-y”.
However, pl-3f restores the original stem for +2pl, while pl-3m always uses the new stem.

4. [pl-3m] qaṭṭelů is suffixed exactly like in Peal, where the initial vowel of a suffix disappears:
qaṭ(ṭə)lûh̊y, qaṭ(ṭə)lûh; qaṭ(ṭə)lûḵ, qaṭ(ṭə)lûḵẙ (-èḵẙ “deflowered” by û-); qaṭ(ṭə)lûn(ẙ); AND qaṭ(ṭə)lûḵṓn, -ḵēn. At this point, I believe that the y in -ûh̊y is not silent. I also believe that the û is actually long (ū), though not 100% sure about this. At least Ungnad clearly states that this is -ūy from *-ūhī.
N §187 ܒܰܬ̊ܠܘܗ̇ (bat(tə)lûh) “they-m deflowered her” from
ܒܰܬܶܠ
Lk 9:53 ܩܰܒܠܘܗ̱ܝ (qab(bə)lûy) “they-m accepted him” // Peshitta Tool reads it qablū(hy), with a long U and a silent Y.
Acts 21:17 ܩܰܒܠܘܢ (qab(bə)lûn) “they-m accepted us”

2014-09-13: Sometimes the ů simply falls out before ḵṓn/ḵēn while the short vowel before the 3rd rad. is kept: *qaṭṭel-ḵṓn instead of qaṭṭəlû-ḵṓn (N §186 ¶3).
There is a Peshitta example, in both ES and WS, in Acts 15:24: dallaḥḵṓn b-mellē instead of dalləḥûḵṓn b-mellē, “they disquieted you guys with words”, ἐτάραξαν ὑμᾶς λόγοις.
Peshitta Tool says it is 3m-sg, but from the context this must be 3m-pl.

Peal + Suffix vs. Pael + Suffix

If hardness of 2nd and 3rd radicals is ignored or unrelated:

The “he” forms are written identically both in Peal and in Pael, except that they are not identical in +2pl, where the old stem is used. So are the “they-f” forms.ܩܰܛܠܶܗ (Peal qaṭlèh ≈ Pael qaṭ(ṭə)lèh);
BUT ܩܛܰܠܟ̥ܘܢ vs. ܩܰܛܶܠܟ̥ܘܢ

Amharic

2014-05-17

ቸ (č) = an Amharic modification, from ተ (t) (Also used in Tigrinya, Tigré) // broken by a left top hook ት, similarly
ች but more like, broken with a zigzag

2014-05-18

ቲማቲም (tīmātīm(ə)) “tomato”

ቲ (tī) = ተ + right bottom horizontal line

ማ (mā) = መ + right vertical extention

ም = broken by a left leg

Seven Easy Guys

ለ like λ

መ vaguely like “m”

ሠ [Shift]+[S], like Heb. ש or Rus. Шш OR Σ rotated

ቀ like Q or Gk. Koppa (Ϙϙ)

ተ like “t”

አ like Heb. א

ወ vaguely like “w”

2014-05-19

A Few More Nice Guys

ረ Heb. ר mirrored

በ Heb. ב / Syr. ܒ rotated

ነ Vaguely “N” (mirrored, kind of)

ዐ ʕayn=“eye”

2014-05-21

S Guys

SĀT ሰ is a strange guy.
It’s obviously SA 𐩪 SAT, but other than that, it doesn’t have many friends, even though it is s1, the most normal S in a way.
Arabic uses SHIN for S, which is ሠ in Ethiopic (SA 𐩦‎), ש in Hebrew.
Heberew and Syriac use SAMEKH for S, while Ethiopic does not have this s3 guy at all (SA 𐩯).
Note that
ለ (L) and ሰ (S) are confusable.

After ሠ */ɬ/ > /ʃ/ was merged into /s/, becoming the same sound as ሰ,
Amharic invented a new character for /ʃ/: ሸ, which is a ሰ with an overline.

ጸ [V] TSA is originally /ṣ/ (SA 𐩮 SADHE).
This one is like Hebrew צ.
Amharic has another TS, ፀ [Shift]+[V] TZA, originally /ḍ/ (SA 𐩳 DHADHE).
For ṣ and ḍ, Arabic has ص and ض // They look like Syriac ܨ, which is Hebrew צ; therefore, these two Arabic letters are cousins of ጸ.
Both ጸ and ፀ are pronounced as the same ejactive /(t)s'/ in Amharic.

In summary:

ሰ (s1) must be memorized.

ሠ (s2) is very easy to recognize. EAE ś

Ethiopic and Arabic do not have s3 (Heb. ס Syr. ܣ).
Am. ሸ is just a modified version of ሰ. EAE š

ፀ (ḍ EAE ṣ́) must be memorized. For convenience, one may think it as a kind of θ, though in fact it isn’t (the real Ethiopic version of θ is ጠ).
Another mnemonic would be Kanji 日 (ZITSU: close enough to TZA, not only sharing a similar glyph shape).

2014-05-25

H Guys

ሀHA. U+10A60 [ 𐩠 ] OLD SOUTH ARABIAN LETTER HE

ሐ [Shift]+[H] HHA, originally /ħ/, later just /h/. U+10A62 [ 𐩢 ] OLD SOUTH ARABIAN LETTER HETH; transliterated as ḥ.

ኀ [Y] XA, originally /x/ or /χ/, later just /h/. U+10A6D [ 𐩭 ] OLD SOUTH ARABIAN LETTER KHETH; transliterated as ḫ.

On the morning of Monday {yṓm trēn b-šabbā#1, lit. “day of Two-on-Sabbath”}, a teacher went into the classroom, and asked them {šaʾʾel ʾennṓn; not a suffix} — the students:
Who among you guys knows how many days there are in one week?

#1 √RDY “to travel”. Probably the D is hard (⁂raddāytā, raddāyāṯā), because if this was *raḏāytā, the *-a- would be unnecessary, makaing the end result *rḏāytā.
Ar. سيارة (sayyāra).
A similar word is “bicycle”:
ܕܰܪܳܓ̥ܬܐ (darrāḡtā ? √DRG “step”);
Ar. دراجة (darrāja).

2017-07-01 In Arabic grammar, these nouns belong to one class of what is called Tool nouns, e.g. “tool for traveling”; another example is نظارة (naẓẓāra(tun)) “telescope” from √nẓr “to see.” This class would correspond to the fem. form of N §115, though perhaps a word of this type is very rare (if any) in Classical Syriac.

If someone should be standing by [such] a road {f} that there are cars on it, and wished that he (may) pass through to the other side {gabbā}
and did not look the right and the left, what would possibly happen? (lit. “what perhaps exists?”)

If [someone] has found, in the forest, a tree loaded with fruits, and does not know what these fruits are. If he has taken and eaten from them (some of them), what might happen?

2014-05-14

ܦܰܢܐ ܟܬ̥ܝܒܬ̥ܳܢܳܐܝܺܬ̥ — Write the answer

1
ܐܰܝܟܰܢ ܙܳܕܶܩ ܕܢܶܥܒܰܪ ܠܐܽܘܪܚܐ [ܠܽܐܘܪܚܐ]؟

How is it right {zāḏeq pt. only} (=How are you supposed) to pass through a street?

ܙܳܕܶܩ ܕܰܢܚܘܪ ܠܝܰܡܝܢܐ ܐܰܘ ܠܣܶܡܳܠܐ.

It is proper that one should look right and left.
{ḥār √ḤWR Impf. nḥūr (ū is long N §177)}

2
ܡܘܢ ܟܒܰܪ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܐܶܢ ܠܐ ܚܳܪ؟

What could happen if one did not look?

ܟܒܰܪ ܪܰܕܳܝܬܐ ܬܶܩܛܘܠ ܠܶܗ (ܬܶܩܛܠܝܘܗ̱ܝ̱) (ܬܶܩܛܠܶܗ).

Perhaps a car will kill him.

ܟܒܰܪ ܪܰܕܳܝܬܐ ܬܕܘܫ ܠܶܗ (ܬܕܘܫܝܘܗ̱ܝ̱ ؟) (ܬܕܘܫܶܗ ؟).

Perhaps a car will run over him.1

3
ܡܘܢ ܙܳܕܶܩ ܕܢܶܬܪܰܥܶܐ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܦܶܥܪܐ؟

What is proper to think about the opening?
{ʾeṯraʕʕī √RʕY Ethpa. “to be accepted, to think” impf. neṯraʕʕē}

ܟܒܰܪ ܩܶܢܐ ܕܥܘܩܒܪܐ.

Perhaps the nest of a mouse {ʕuqbrā}?

ܟܒܰܪ ܩܶܢܐ ܕܚܶܘܝܐ.

Perhaps the nest of a snake.

4
ܡܰܢ ܠܐ ܙܳܕܶܩ ܕܢܶܣܚܶܐ ܒܢܰܗܪܐ؟

Who is not proper to swim in a river?

ܗܘ ܕܠܐ ܝܳܕܰܥ ܣܰܚܘܐ.

He who does not know how to swim.

5
ܡܘܢ ܗܳܘܶܐ ܐܶܢ ܐܶܟ̥ܰܠ ܦܺܐܪܐ ܠܐ ܝܺܕܝܥܐ؟

What is there (=What happens) if one eats a fruit not known {yīḏīʕ pass. pt.}?

ܟܒܰܪ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܟܪܝܗ.

Perhaps he will be(come) sick {krīh}.

ܟܒܰܪ ܣܰܡܐ ܢܶܩܛܘܠ ܠܶܗ (ܢܶܩܛܠܶܗ)
(ܢܶܩܛܠܝܘܗ̱ܝ̱).

Perhaps the poison will kill him.

12014-05-20
A 2nd-W verb usually takes a prefix without a vowel, e.g. n(ə)-, though in poems ne- may be used [N §177].
Suffixed forms of a 2nd-W:
ܠܵܐ ܓܹܝܪ ܫܲܕܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܠܲܒ݂ܪܹܗ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܕܲܢܕ݂ܘܼܢܝܼܘܗܝ ܠܥܵܠܡܵܐ܇ ܐܸܠܵܐ ܕܢܸܚܹܐ ܥܵܠܡܵܐ ܒܐܝܼܕܹܐ܂܀ (Jn 3:17) “For ʾAlāhā did not send his son to the world so that he might judge it — the world; but so that the world might live by his hand (by means of him).” √DWN dūn “to judge”, impf. nəḏūn “he will judge”; nəḏūnīw (OR nəḏūnèh) “he will judge him”. ALSO Acts 24:6. SIMILARLY, √ŠWṬ “to despise”, šūṭ, nəšūṭ, nəšūṭīw (1Cor16:11).
But note that a 2nd-W may get ī instead of ū in the middle (that is, a 2nd-Y), as in sām, nəsīm.

2014-05-15

ܪܰܟܶܒ ܦܶܬܓ̥ܳܡ̈ܐ* [ܦܶܬ̥ܓ̥ܳܡ̈ܐ] ܒܝܰܕ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ Make a sentence from each word

(B) The old stem (neqṭól-***) is used before a consonant:
neqṭól-ḵṓn “he will kill you guys”,
neqṭól-ḵēn “he will kill you girls”

2014-08-10: *** I had made it neqṭṓl, perhaps because of N §48: In many cases ܘܿ may denote an o originally short, but lengthened by the tone; so perrhaps in ܢܷܩܛܘܿܠ [...] Still, there is as little certainty about this [...]
Starting today, I treat the o in Impf. (a/o, etc.) and Impt. as “Maybe long, maybe short” (neqṭồl). [Cf. Palacios (1931, 1954) 13c]

2014-08-18: I will write this ô as ȯ̂ instead of ồ (neqṭȯ̂l).

2014-08-25: I will just use ô for this (neqṭôl).

2014-08-28: Basically, this ô should be short; because if it’s long, it can’t become ə as in neḵtôḇ vs. neḵtəḇūn.

2014-09-29: According to N §158D, the ô in qṭôl and qṭôlūn (Impt.) is short.

§1.2 [2m-sg] teqṭól “you (m.sg) will kill” has additional, imperative-like forms, which retain the ó, and are used chiefly in prohibitions:
teqṭól-ā-yh̊ẙ1 (ES prob. teqṭólayh̊ẙ: see below (4)), teqṭólēh, teqṭólayn(ẙ).

Unlike -eh, -ēh is feminine!

And -āy is just another “Heart” ending!

[2014-12-15: The feminine suffix -ēh for “her” is also used in 3rd-Y Imperfect, e.g. neḡlēh “He will show her”.]

[2015-01-06: Perhaps the -ēh of Impt. and 2nd Impf. is from -ay-(ā)h, and the -ēh of 3rd-Y is from -ē-(ā)h < -Vy-(ā)h.]

1 Thackston §15.2 is wrong about this one, saying *-īwh̊ẙ instead of -āyh̊ẙ. Additionally, his table is misleading, suggesting that those -āy/ēh/ayn endings (OR -īw/ēh/ayn according to him) are possible both with the “you (m.sg)” form and with the “she” form.

§2 A stem of Class (2) gets -ā-.
However, +2f-sg is -èkẙ and +3m-sg can be -èh, where the -ā- is missing. [Both in (1) and (2), there are always 2 or 3 possible forms for “him”.]

2014-12-10, 2014-12-13: In Perfect and Imperative, the 2nd sg. fem. form is practically identical to the 2nd sg. mas. form (qṭóltẙ = qṭólt, qṭólẙ = qṭól). However, they are quite different in Imperfect (teqṭlīn ≠ teqṭól).

ܐܶܥܒܶܕ “I will do” //
ܥܺܐܕܐ ܐܶܥܒܕܝܘܗ̱ܝ̱ “the festival — I will do it” [Acts 18:21] // OR
ܐܶܥܒܕܶܗ “I will do it”

§3 While qṭólā-, qṭólī-, and qṭólē- are acceptable, the Syriac people generally did not like qṭólû- + suffix, and used quṭlû- + suffix instead, to avoid the open syllable in this case (qṭó- > quṭ-). This form is like Pf. 3rd pl. mas. qaṭlû-.
The u after the 1st rad. is short(*) [N §190D].
Similarly, as a longer form, quṭlūnā- + suffix is preferred to qṭólūnā- + suffix.

2014-09-14:
(*) This u occurs even when the verb type is not a/o.
For example: dḇar/neḏbar (a/a, because of the 3rd R) “lead (away)”; dḇarů “you guys take away!”; duḇr-û(h)y “you guys take him away!” (Jn18:31) instead of *dḇar-û(h)y.

2016-05-09: *Dḇarû(h)y does occur in Jn18:31 S, however (see below).

— That said, forms like qṭólûh̊y2 OR qṭólūnāyh̊ẙ3 are also found, though less common.

2 N §190A “here and there”. Robinson (1962) p. 81 fn. “also found”.

3 N §190F “less common”.

§4
Suffixed 2f-pl forms: Each of them has a seyame.
Unlike 2f-sg, qṭólẙ becomes qṭólā-.
The longer form is qṭólēn(ā-).

Notice that, in WS, the shorter form of “You girls, kill him!” is identical to “You boy, kill him!”.
However, these two are different in ES, because, while both ES and WS use qṭólāy(hy) for “You girls”, the 2nd sg. m. form is qṭólay(hy) in ES.

2014-12-19: Also Nöldeke states: (α) The Impt. sg. m. always retains the vowel before the 3rd rad., not only in Peal (qṭólayn), but also in Pael (qaṭṭelayn) and Aphel (ʾaqṭelayn) [read “Aphel” for “Ethpaal” in the English edition], e.g. naṭṭarēh “observe her!” (N §190B).
(β) But not in the sg. f. in Pael and Aphel, e.g. šabbḥīn(y) “you girl, praise me!” (N §190D), as opposed to šabbaḥayn(y) “you boy, praise me!”;
(γ) Generally, not in the pl. m. in Peal, Pael, and Aphel, either — e.g. pallṭûn(y) “you guys, save me” (N §190D), although there are two secondary forms, shorter and longer (N §190A), where the vowel is kept: one is of the type qṭólû- (for quṭlû-), and the other is of the type qṭólūnā- (for quṭlūnā-) — these forms are less common (N §190F);
(δ) Also, not in the pl. f. [in Pael, Aphel], though less attested, e.g. šabbḥāy(hy) “you girls, praise him!” (N §190E).

2015-01-06:
*1 Nöldeke, too, clearly states:
Such a vowel, however, is not found in the shorter form of the pl. m. (§190D);
in the sg. f. of Pael and Aphel there should be no vowel before the 3rd rad. (§190D);
the pl. f. […] without any vowel before the 3rd rad. (§190E).
*2 The longer form, however, retains the vowel in the Pael and Aphel, at least in the pl. m. (qaṭṭelūnāy(hy) -āh -ān): qabbəlû-n(y), “receive me!” (2Co11:16) BUT qabbelūnā-n(y) (N §190F).
Probably the long form of the pl. f. is similar (qaṭṭelēnāy(hy) -āh -ān) — more or less like 3rd-Y (*kassəyā-y(hy) BUT kassāyênā-y(hy)).

In Peal Impt., a “strange” form like qṭólāy(hy) ES -ay(hy), where the vowel before the 3rd radical is kept, is used in general, except in the pl. m.quṭlû-.

In Pael/Aphel Impt., a “strange” form is not so common. It is seen only in the sg. m. (e.g. qaṭṭelāy(hy) ES -ay(hy), qaṭṭelēh), and in the longer forms (see below). These forms are quite strange, where every one of the three radicals is voweled. From šabbaḥ, we have šabbaḥayn(y) “glorify me” (Jn 17:5); BUT šabbəḥīn(y), šabbəḥûn(y), šabbəḥān(y).

Pael/Aphel Impt. 2m-pl: the vowel after the 2nd rad. is deleted, just like in Peal, but a new vowel (the u in Pael) is not inserted after the 1st rad. as there is already a vowel after (or before if Aphel) the 1st radical. The net result is, these suffixed forms are identical to the suffixed Pf. 3m-pl forms of the same verb.

2016-05-07 [N §174B] (I) Many of 1st-A verbs have ó in Impf/Impt (e.g. nēḵól); then the Impt starts with ʾa- (e.g. ʾaḵól).
(II) Only a few of them have a (e.g. nḗmar), when the Impt starts with ʾe- (e.g. ʾemar).
In WS, type (I) is like ܢܶܐ in Impf, while type (II) is usually like ܢܺܐ.

2016-05-09

duḇrûh̊y vs. *dḇarûh̊y (Jn18:31⁎ P/S)

Although Burkitt (1904) reads ܕܘܒܪܘܗܝ in John 18:31 and he even says “sic”, this was updated by Agnes Smith Lewis as ܕܒܪ̈ܘܗܝ [The Old Syriac Gospels (1910), p. 299]. This means that in S, Suffixed Impt. pl. m. is always of type qṭólû-, and not quṭlû-, that is, the vowel before the 3rd rad. is kept. In this case, *dḇarû(h)y instead of duḇrû(h)y (the form in John 18:31 P).

This may sound strange, like “believe that if you want to, but the fact is different”; sure enough, both S. and C. have
ܨܒܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܠܡܩܒܠܘ (la-məqabbālū: Long ū N §167)
“if you guys are willing to accept, he is…” implying “even if you don’t accept it, the fact is this.”

Peshitta Tool says hūyū=“that is to say”, but this one should be hū (pron.) + hū (copula) “he is the one” as in CAL. Also explained very well in Alan 91. [2015-01-11: P-NY, with Alan, spells this as ܕܗܘ̤ܝܘܼ in Lk 4:41, but as ܕܗܘܝ̤ܘ here and in Mt 16:20, Lk 24:21, Jn 9:9, possibly implying a contracted pronunciation, e.g. dhū-yū > dhūw.]

καὶ εἰ θέλετε δέξασθαι, αὐτός ἐστιν Ἠλίας ὁ μέλλων ἔρχεσθαι // δέξασθαι is aor. inf. of δέχομαι. Apparently Peshitta reads this word as aor. imperat. δέξασθε, if it is based on Greek at all. Since Old Syriac versions are exactly like Greek versions, probably Peshitta is the one that is strange here.

Vulgate: et si vultis recipere, ipse est Elias, qui venturus est.

qabbelů could be also Pf. 3m-pl.

ܩܰܒܠܘܗ̱ܝ ܗܳܟ̥ܝܠ ܒܡܳܪܝܐ “You guys accept him, therefore {hāḵḗl}, in the Lord!” (Philippians 2:29)
ܩܲܒ݁ܠܘܼܗܝ ܗܵܟܹܝܠ ܒܡܵܪܝܵܐ // The e in qabbel- is predictably deleted, except that in 2m-sg we have qabbel-ây ēh ayn. The suffixes -ûy ûh ûn are the same as in Pael. // Also note that qab(bə)lûy(hy) could be Pf. 3m-pl.

This sentence comes after “No one should think that I am a fool!” and could be interpreted as a humble request: “If what I just said is not true and I am indeed a fool, even if so, at least accept me as your foolish friend.” The intention is unclear for two reasons. First, Paul says something negative (not a man shall think this way), and then says “if otherwise”, which could mean either “if what I said is wrong and one may think that way” or “if anyone doesn’t think that way”. Secondly, the true intention of ʾāp̄en is unclear. It is even possible to think that qabblûy(hy) is Pf. 3m-pl, and the real meaning is “Let no one take me for a fool [anymore], even though they [originally] received me as a foolish person,” although since the subject is “not a man” (singular), 3m-pl would be abrupt (no one and they mix well in English, but not in Syriac).

After [their?] riches had been given over (confiscated?), alas, those philosophers suddenly (on) the same night set forth {proficīscor, profectus sum} into exile, where they were never able to go out {ēgredior}.

2014-05-13

5. Nē patiāmur hanc antīquissimam scientiam āmittī.

Let us not permit this very old knowledge to be lost.

6. Fateor mē vīnō merō apud mē ūsūrum esse.

I admit that I will enjoy {ūsūrus esse = fut. inf. of ūtor} pure wine at my place.

2014-06-06

And he indeed bubbled out [his] soul, and since then he ceased to be seen alive.
He died, however, while he [was] listening to comic actors, so that you may know that I do not fear those men without a reason.

This last voice of his was heard among them, while he let out a bigger sound from that part with which he used to speak more easily: “Alas, I think, I defecated upon myself. Which, I do not know if he did, [but] he certainly defecated on all (everywhere).”

That man seems to me to be like a god,
that man, if it is right [to say this], [seems] to be better than gods,
who {sg/pl here sg}, sitting {sedeō} opposite [you], again and again
sees and hears you
sweetly smiling, which takes away all senses
from miserable me: for as soong as
I beheld you, O Lesbia, none remains for me,
[Lesbia, none of voice,]
but my tongue grows numb, a thin {tenuis} flame, under my limbs,
flows through {MAYBE like, I feel chilly?}, with the sound of itself
my ears ring, my eyes {lūmen nis n. poetic} are covered by twin {geminus ā}
night {=doubled darkness}.

A certain rich {ʾattīrā} man#3, while he was going — one day — to the market place; from him [his] money bag full-of-money#4 fell, and he did not know about it#5.

ܐ̱ܢܳܫ abs.,
after a descriptive term for a person: “a certain” (CAL)

#3 This topic-subject sentence feels awkward if literally translated into English, becuase the topic, a certain rich man, does not have any predicate. It’s like you start talking about him but forget to finish it, and suddenly start talking about something else (his money bag). This could be paraphrased as: “[This is a story about] a certain rich man (Topic): one day while he was going to the market place, his money bag (Subject) fell from him, which he didn’t notice.”
OR: とある金持ちの男は(Topic)、市場へ行く途中で財布が(Subject)…

#4
ܟܝܣܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܙܘ̈ܙܐ “a bag of full money” OR rather “a full bag of money” //
The meaning is obvious; the grammatical explanation for this phrase is not so obvious.
Why can you put a noun, “money”, right after an adjective?
Maybe ܡܠܶܐ is an adjective (passive participle) in the construct state.
“Noun (emph) + (Adj (const) + Noun (emph))” is my best guess.2014-05-06ܟܰܕ ܡܠܶܐ ܪܘܚܐ “when filled with (full of) the Spirit” Lk4:12014-06-01ܡܠܶܐ ܣܰܠܐ ܥܶܢܒ̈ܐ “a full basket of olives”2014-06-03 “money” right after an adjective: that’s because “money” is the genitive (sort of), working with the con. st. mlē. That is, “a bag filled with money”.
2017-05-10 mlē is in the abs. st. and takes an object (N §291). In Syriac, both “the bag” and “(with) money” of “fill the bag with money” are objects of “fill”. Hence, “with money” of the passive form “the bag filled with money” works as an object of the passive participle “filled”.

#5 Alan translates ܒܶܗ as “about it”.
While the meaning is clear in a practical sense, I’m not sure what exactly “it” is.
Maybe “it” is “the money bag that fell”,
but “it” could be “what happened”.2014-05-22 In ʕal hāḏē “because of this”, the feminine form of this is used. Maybe Syriac uses fem. when it would be neut. in Latin? If so, this “it” should be “the bag” itself, and not the situation in general.

2014-05-04

And when he saw the money bag that fell (=saw the money bag fall) from the rich man, he at once {meḥḏā < men ḥḏā; D is soft N §156} took it, and ran {√RHṬ} after the rich man while shouting: Uncle, uncle, look, the money bag that fell from you!

ܫܰܩܠܶܗ (šaqlèh) = ܫܩܰܠ + -èh. ES ܫܲܩܠܹܗ

ܘܰܫܩܰܠ ܥܰܬܝܪܐ ܠܟܝܫܐ، ܘܐܰܘܕܝ [ܘܰܐܘܕܝ] ܠܶܗ ܠܫܰܒܪܐ.

And the rich man received the money bag, and gave thanks to him — to the boy.

And when he wished {ṣḇā √ṢBY}#6 he would give#7 something to him, the boy did not accept {qabbel D} [it], but {ʾellā} said:
I did not do {ʕeḇdèṯ#8} something that deserves reward {ʾaḡrā}.

2014-09-28: ṣḇā usually takes Impf. or Inf. Alan 125 also has this as ṣḇā neṯel lèh.

#6 √ṢBY usually takes d-. Indeed,
ܨܒ݂ܵܐ ܕܢܸܬܸܠ in Alan 125.

#7
ܢܶܬ̊ܶܠ (nettel < *ne-nTel < *ne-nTen) impf. is used as impf. of
ܝܰܗ̱ܒ N §173B, §183 (6) / Jess. / Thackston §14.2. Originally √NTN: “In Syriac (and less commonly CPA) the dative preposition is assimilated to the end of the word, yielding the new root ntl” (CAL). The pf. form nTan was used in Old Aramaic and Official Aramaic, but not in Syriac.

#8 ES ܥܸܒ݂ܕܹܬ݂
(Mingana has both the first and second vowels as i, though. As in:
ܩܸܛܠܸܬ݂)

2014-05-05

And the rich man looked at (OR respected) {√ḤWR} him and shook/wagged (=nodded repeatedly)#9 his head, and said: Goodness is for (=Blessed are) [such] fathers {ʾaḇāhē} that there are to him good sons like this.

Suffixed “She/I” Is Like Unsuffixed “He”

1-B. The sg3f form CeCCaṯ and the sg1c form CeCCèṯ become CCaCṯ and CCaCt respectively, before a vowel-initial suffix.
Before a consonant-initial suffix, the old stem is used in the 3rd sg. fem., just like in the 3rd sg. mas., while the new stem is retained in the 1st sg.

qeṭlaṯ [sg3f]: When it takes a V-suf, the suffixed stem is identical to the first stem (=unsuffixed sg-3m) + ṯ.

Note: In several suffixed forms [the “he/they-f” forms minus -ḵṓn/ḵēn forms, and any of the “they-m” forms], the same spelling could be either Pe. or Pa. except that the hardness of the 2nd and/or 3rd radicals is different if they can be spirantized.

2014-05-05

Suffixed “They”: Like Suffixed “He” 1st Radical Gets a

2. The pl3m form CCaCů becomes CaCC+û; this is like sg3m+suffix but with -û- (that is -ū-, though possibly -u-).
The pl3f form CCaC becomes CaCC+ā, but in the end pl3f+suffix is almost identical to sg3m+suffix.

qṭalů [pl3m] gets -û- (qaṭlû-) by restoring its final ů, after which the vowel part of a vowel-initial suffix disappears (e.g. qaṭlû + -āḵ = qaṭlûḵ; qaṭlû + -èḵẙ = qaṭlûḵẙ, the same sound as sg-2m); the same pattern is used with a consonant-initial suffix too (qaṭlû-ḵṓn); -û-h̊y is used for +sg3m, instead of -èh (N §184), very much like the suffix II (Cf. ܡܰܠ̈ܟܰܘܗ̱ܝ̱), except that the final Y may not be silent here. The older Aramaic form of this element is -ohi (Thack §8.3), or rather, -ūhī (Ungnad §6bα).

qṭal [pl3f]** gets -ā- before a suffix (N §184). Note that: (α) there is an extra y in front of h̊ẙ; (β) the è in -èḵẙ (+sg2f) is said to be retained, while the stem-end -ā- disappears; (γ) probably, the old stem is used before +2nd pl., just like in the sg3m forms. Said differently, the pl3f forms are different from the sg3m forms only in +sg3m and +1sg/pl.

The ā of these forms is wanting, […] probably also in the 3rd pl. f. before the suffix of the 2nd pl. (N §184) — Meaning, this could be *qaṭlāḵṓn, but it isn’t. Ungnad (1913) does say qaṭlāḵṓn, with a footnote “uncertain”.

☆ means that the form is identical to the sg3m form (but with a Seyame); N means that the form is marked by Nöld. as possibly inaccurate; B marked uncertain by Brockelmann (1960); R parenthesized in Robinson (1962).

About qaṭlûh̊y:

# Muraoka §68e reads the Y after the û, but not after ā/ī/ē [2015-01-07 His paradigm also has qaṭluy (p. 113)]. Ungnad (§6bα, §46fδ) says qaṭlūy.
This Y is silent according to Thackston, but he is not always reliable about this kind of things.
According to N §50A(3), the Y is silent, but it’s not clear if this Y belongs to 50A(3).
In Leshono XIII 3, the Y is read in a similar pattern balblûh̊Y.
While Mingana 480 has ܩܲܛܠܘܼܗܝ, it is not clear if this Y is to be read or silent
[2014-10-10: Mingana treats it as silent; see below].
Given that the Syriac language prefers a closed syllable and that the other similar patterns are -āy/īw/ēw (a long vowel + cons.), maybe this one should be read qaṭlūy. [-ēw is used in impf. of 3rd-Y. See 2014-08-10.]

“We” and “You”: Easy

3. The other forms (1st person plural, and 2nd persons) are much simpler — one can use an unsuffixed stem + ā (or ī) to make a suffixed form. These endings (ā + obj. suffix) are similar to the ones used in qaṭl(ā)- “they-f killed”: -āy(hy), -āh; -āḵ, -èḵ(y); -ān(y), -ān; -āḵṓn, -āḵēn (not -ḵṓn & -ḵēn).
They are also identical to the endings used after qaṭl- “he killed”, except that (1) “him” is not -èh, but -āy(hy); (2) “me/us” is not -an & -an(y), but -ān(y) & -ān; (3) “you guys/you girls” is not -ḵṓn & -ḵēn, but -āḵṓn & -āḵēn (the ā is always there).

2014-05-08

“He” vs. “They-f”

ܐܶܫܟܰܚ “to find”:
this can be both 3m-sg and 3f-pl (as in Lk 24:23). However, when an object suffix for “him” is attached,
ܐܶܫܟܚܶܗ (ʾeškḥèh) “he found him” and
ܐܶܫܟܚܳܝܗ̱ܝ̱ (ʾeškḥāy) “they-f found him” are distinct.

Doubling doesn’t occur even in a longer form of Pf. where the first syllable is open: paḵūn (3m-pl), paḵēn (3f-pl). This is not surprising if you think about a strong verb in 3f-pl, e.g. kṯaḇēn = kṯaḇ, where the stem remains the same even when the -ēn is attached and the first syllable becomes open (cf. N §158D). // Here C. and S. have the short (older) form ܥܠ, identical to 3m-sg.

Thackston §11.2 also says the same thing. Additionally, N §178A states that the 2nd radical is doubled if it is preceded and followed by a short vowel; in a longer form ending in -ūn or -ēn, the 2nd rad. is not followed by a short vowel.

2014-05-09

New & Old Stems

In the +pl2 forms — that is, when the suffixed object is either “you guys” or “you girls”:

Generally, the old stem (the form used when unsuffixed) is used.

However, the new stem (the stem used in the suffixed “him” form) is used when the subject is “I” or “they-m”.

In other words: (α) a new stem is used when the “he/she/they-f” forms are suffixed, except that the old stem is used for +pl2; (β) a new stem is always used when the “I/they-m” forms are suffixed; (γ) the old stem is always used as is when the “we/thou/you” forms are suffixed. The “I” forms are rather simple, where always the same one stem is used when suffixed (qṭalt-āḵ, qṭalt-ḵṓn; qṭalt-èḵ, qṭalt-ḵēn; qṭalt-èh, qṭalt-āh).
The “she” forms are difficult, where two different stems are used (qṭalṯ-āḵ, BUT qeṭlaṯ-ḵṓn).
IF we ignore the +pl2, the suffixed “I” forms and the suffixed “she” forms are identical, except that the -T- is hard in the “I” forms.

ḥubbā “love” (John 5:42⁎) // The Greek Polytonic KL does not support U+2019 [ ’ ] RIGHT SINGLE QUOTATION MARK, as in ἀλλ’.

2014-05-27

Two Important Points

Third person forms are more difficult when suffixed, because:

Only sg-3m/f and pl-3f are mixed-stem, where you have to worry about +2pl forms.

sg-3m/f should be easy. It’s just “a new stem before a vowel to avoid too many vowels; an old stem as is before a consonant.”

sg-1c and sg-3f are very alike, one is single-stem, the other is mixed-stem, which could be very confusing (“Thackston Trap”). MNEMONIC: “1st person 1-color”. [The difference in +2pl may be understood based on *-aṯ vs. *-tu: qeṭlaṯḵṓn vs. qəṭaltəḵṓn < *qəṭaltuḵṓn]

Intuitively, pl-3f could be single-stem (-ā-ḵṓn, etc.) but it is NOT! This fact can be easily memorized if you just remember that PL-3F IS ALMOST SG-3M (except in -āy -ān); really, the two are identical when unsuffixed (except for a seyame). As such, pl-3f + 2pl forms are identical to sg-3m + 2pl forms, which are simple plain qṭal-ḵṓn -ḵēn.

In pl-3m, û wins against è in -èḵẙ. The è in the suffix -èḵẙ (“you girl”) wins against -ā-, but loses against -û-.

MNEMONIC: “They deflowered you”

When suffixed, sg-3f is mixed-stem while sg-1c is single-stem (1-color)

sg-3f qeṭlaṯ

qṭalṯèh

qṭalṯāh

qṭalṯāḵ

qṭalṯèḵ

qṭalṯan

qeṭlaṯḵṓn

sg-1c qeṭlèṯ

qṭaltèh

qṭaltāh

qṭaltāḵ

qṭaltèḵ

―

qṭaltḵṓn ✔

For qṭaltḵṓn ✔, Thackston says *qeṭlèṯḵṓn, which is hypercorrect and non-standard.

Qarahbaš [vol. 3, L. 5] — ܗܶܪܓܐ 5 [ܕܚܰܡܫܐ]: ܒܳܪܶܐ ܐܰܪܥܐ ܘܰܫܡܰܝܐ

2014-05-01

ܒܪܐ “to create” √BRY; part. ܒܳܪܶܐ “creates; the creator”

ܐܰܪܥܐ “f. āṯā ground, Earth, land”

ܫܡܰܝܐ (šmayyā) “heaven”: this word could be m-sg, f-sg, or (with a Seyame) m-pl, but usually m-sg (Jess); the m-pl usage is “almost confined to translations of the Bible” (N §87)

ܒܳܪܶܐ ܐܰܪܥܐ ܘܰܫܡܰܝܐ:
ܡܰܪܕܶܐ ܪ̈ܘܚܐ ܐܳܦ ܡܰܝ̈ܳܐ.

He creates the earth and the heaven:
he makes winds flow and water(s).

2014-04-28

Then {hāydēn, archaic} the mother of the sons of Zabday#1 came (near) to him — she and her sons (=together with her sons) — and worshiped {sḡer} him, and was asking (=was about to ask) something from him. (Mt20:20⁎)

**Jess says Pe.=“to comb” and Pa.=“to empty”; but in this lesson, sarreq Pa. means “to comb”. According to CAL, Costaz, etc., there are at least two verbs, which appear to have the same root √SRQ but are etymologically unrelated to each other:
(1) sraq Pe. “to tear”,
sarreq Pa. “to comb”; and
(2) sarreq Pa. “to empty” [LS2/CAL: originally Šap̄ʕa/el of √RYQ “to empty, to pour out”].

At 6 o’clock {šāʕṯā Soft T, N §23E; CAL hard T} in the morning, the mother of Yṓsī {a male name like Joseph, unlike Eng. Josie} came near {QRB} to {lwāṯ “towards”} his bed {ʕarsā m} and she saw [that he was] still asleep/sleeping {dammīḵ Verb Adj Like bassīr}.

She put {sāmaṯ √SWM} her hand on his head, and she said in a beautiful voice:
Wake up, my son, wake up.
The sun has already {men kaddū} risen; and, look, the rooster is crowing;
for {gēr} it is time {ʕeddānaw < ʕeddānā + hu**} that you should go {tḗzal a/a #3} to school.

** According to Alan 92, -ā + (h)w becomes aw in WS when the first word consists of not more than three letters; obviously, the word-ending ʾĀlap̄ does not count as “letters”—if the ʾĀlap̄ is included, the first word has 4 letters in both of Alan’s examples too (ܗܳܪܟܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ and ܕܰܟ̥ܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ). Also, the following part of this lesson has ܛܰܠܝܰܐ ܗ̱ܘ.

Yṓsī is a hard-working student. Because of this {ʕal hāḏē} his mother loves him.

Mk7:34 — ܦܬ̥ܰܚ and ܐܶܬ̥ܦܰܬܰܚ

This is one of the few places where Aramaic words are used in the Greek NT: Ἐφφαθά (epʰpʰatʰa), that is ʾeṯpattaḥ in Classic Syriac.

ܘܚܳܪ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܐ ܘܶܐܬܬܰܢܰܚ ܘܶܐܡܰܪ ܠܶܗ ܐܶܬ̥ܦܰܬ݈̊ܚ ܀

ܘܚ̣ܵܪ ܒܲܫܡܲܝܵܐ ܘܐܸܬ݁ܬܲܢܲܚ܇ ܘܐܸܡ̣ܲܪ ܠܹܗ܇ ܐܸܬ݂ܦܲܬܲܚ܂܀

And he looked into the sky {šmayyā m} and sighed (perh. more lit. made himself sigh) and said to him: Be opened!

ܐܶܢܰܚ (ʾenaḥ) √ʔNḤ mimetic ⟦gemuit⟧

Ethpeel (Gt) with e-to-a ܐܶܬ̥ܐܢܰܚ (*ʾeṯʾənaḥ) >
*ʾeṯʾenaḥ >
ܐܶܬ̥ܶ(ܐ)ܢܰܚ (ʾeṯenaḥ) “to groan”
— N §174C the e which ܐ must take instead of the shᵉva is thrown forward on the ܬ
— Jess treats this form as Ethpaal (Dt)

Great links: Peshitta

Peshitta | Aramaico (Portuguese (Brazil))
[This blog has as main objective to search, index and categorize existing resources on the web related to language and Aramaic culture, such as books and other sites. Occasionally, the author of this blog will publish notes and personal studies, results of their own research.
It should be noted that in any way the author of the blog is an expert in the Aramaic language, being just an enthusiastic student of this area, without any kind of relationship and/or support of churches, universities, religious denominations, etc.]

2 d(ə)yāt̤êqḗ with a long ā (Lk22:20, Acts7:8); also da-ḏ(ə)yāt̤êqḗ (Mk14:24, 2Cor3:6); but da-D(ə)yat̤ḗqḗ with a short a (Mt26:28). The t̤ is probably soft (Cf. N §25; always soft in Peshitta Tool), unless it is doubled, and perhaps the ê is long (ḗ). WS dīyaṯīqī, with an ī between D and Y.2014-04-19 N §40H §145L: common forms are dya-t̤ḗ-qḗ AND dī-ya-t̤ḗ-qḗ.2014-05-29 da-ḏyāṯḗqḗ may be da-dyāṯḗqḗ, keeping the initial hard D (N §25); though marked soft in NY.
2015-11-18 In order to mark a t as “possibly hard, possibly soft”, I am now using t̤ instead of ṱ, which I used in 2014–15. Similarly, b̤ instead of b̭, etc.

3 N §40C; WS yešūʕ N §3

Another example of parenthesized passages: Lk22:18–19; parenthesized also in London (1920).

OT Peshitta Tanakh (A.T.) – Edição de S. Lee | Aramaico
[This is the Peshitta Tanakh – Old Testament in Aramaic, in editing Samuel Lee for the British and Foreign Bible Society. Interesting to note that the original 1823 Edition contained the Psalm 151, but it was cut from later editions because is not in the Protestant canon.]

Numerals

2014-04-19

Random observations: ܛ and ܬ vs. θ and τ

Alphabet-wise and number-wise, ܛ‎=θ=9 and
ܬ‎=400≈τ=300.
ܬ and τ are the “same” letter, but the Greek and Syriac number symbols are off by one unit starting from 90; for, while ܨ‎=90, Greek SAN (Ϻ) is not used at all as a number sign.

Pronunciation-wise, ܛ‎=τ and ܬ‎=θ, twisted.

BTW: Both ܣ (semkaṯ) and ξ (ksī=xi) vaguely sound like “sixty”; this could be a great way to remember ܣ = ξ = 60. [2014-08-28]

2014-08-20

Arabic (Abjad) Numerals

Abjad numerals up to 400 are essentially identical to Syriac/Hebrew numerals.
They are also identical to Greek numerals, except that 90…400 are off by one, due to the missing ϻ.

400 is ت, just like in Syriac/Hebrew.

Ṯā Ḵā (Ḫā) — Ḏāl Ḍād — Ẓā ̣Gayn

500 is ث.
Maybe they just put something similar to ت right after it.

600 is خ, another very light (voiceless) sound.
This one happens to be (semi-)identical to the Greek numeral 600, i.e. χ.

Then comes 700, ذ; this one is stronger (voiced), but not so heavy.

800 is ض, a heavy sound. Can be seen as a heavier version of 700.

900 is ظ, another heavy sound.
This one happens to be semi-identical to the Greek numeral 900, i.e. ͳ or ϡ.
Also it can be seen as the heaviest version of the “9 ط‎ / 90 ص‎ / 900” trio.

1000 is غ, the heaviest (harshest) sound, in a way.

2016-11-26

Ṯā, H̱ā, Ḏāl, Ḍād, Ẓā, Ġain are the six “non-Aramaic” letters (out of the 28 Arabic letters), and are simply numbered as 500…1000 in the normal dictionary order of Arabic.

Ṯā = φ (= 500) is also easy to remember if you think “th” is like “ph”.

Maghreb Order

This order can be viwed as a “no-shh” system:

For 300, don’t use Šīn, but use the plain Sīn instead.
Then, for 60, use Ṣād instead of Sīn, and for 90 use Ḍād instead of Ṣād.
Since Ḍād is already taken, 800 and 900 will be off by one, and there’s nothing (but Šīn) for 1000; so the marginalized Šīn is finally used here.

Because of two different orders, the Abjad Numerals are only reliable up to 50.
Either Sīn or Ṣād could be used for 60, and Sīn may mean 60 or 300, while Ṣād may mean 90 or 60.
If it’s clear that Ḍād is used for a number less than 800 (as 90, as in 90–99, 190–199, etc.), then it’s Maghreb.

2014-12-06

W. Wright: A Grammar of the Arabic Language, I §32

The original version by
Carl Paul Caspari is in Latin.
August Müller translated it into German, which Wright re-translated into English.
The 4th german version (1876) is on uni-halle.de; the 5th german version (1887) is on archive.org.

2014-04-11

A hard-working student does not wander around {√PHY} in streets/bazaars {šūqē, pl. of šūqā m}, and does not play in a road {ʾurḥā#3 f. N §82, 84 (and 20, 103)}, as he will not{#4} waste{#5} (lest he waste) his time {ʕeddānèh < ʕeddānā, m.}.

#5 √ʾBD
ܐܶܒܰܕ (ʾeḇaḏ) “to perish, to be lost” Aph.
ܐܰܘܒܶܕ (ʾawbeḏ) “to make perish; to waste, destroy”
Aphel of 1st-A is like 1st-W (N §174E): ʾaw- (impf. nawbeḏ). More generally, Aphel of a 1st-weak verb usually has -aw-, though a few have -ay- (Thackston, p. 102; N §175B, 183(2)).

2014-04-12

Mt10:39⁎

He who has found/attained {ʾeškaḥ Hard K, √ŠKḤ with prothetic A} his life/soul {nap̄šā pl. nap̄šāṯā, f. N §82} (OR himself {N §223}) will destroy it {nawbəḏīh ES nāw-},
and he who has destroyed his life (OR himself) because of me {meṭṭülāṯ / meṭṭōlāṯ (?) CAL meṭṭūlāṯ} will find/attain it.

√ʾBD
ܢܰܘܒܶܕ (nawbeḏ ES nāwbiḏ) — The vowel before the 3rd rad. becomes ə in front of a vowel-initial suffix.
“Her” is basically -āh, but -īh often appears in Impf.
The forms of the Impf. which end in the 3rd consonantal rad. (3 sg. m. and f.; 2 sg. m.; 1. sg. and pl.) assume an ī before the suffixes of the 3rd sing. (N §184)
Thus,
ܢܰܘܒܕܝܗ̇ (nawbəḏīh) “he will destroy it (f)”;
ܬܰܘܒܶܕ (tawbeḏ) “she/you-m will destroy” and
ܬܰܘܒܕܝܗ̇ (tawbəḏīh) “she/you-m will destroy it (f)”; etc.

ܢܸܫܟ݁̇ܚܝܼܗ̇ K has a Quššāyā dot + another general dot above.
Maybe the second dot shows that the K does not have a full vowel, like ܢܸܫܟ̱݁ܚܝܼܗ̇ (niškåḥīh)
or more like ܢܸܫܟ݁ܚ݇ܝܼܗ̇ (niškɇḥīh).

2014-04-13

Write the answer — ܦܰܢܐ ܟܬ̥ܝܒܬ̥ܳܢܳܐܝܺܬ̥

1
ܐܶܡܰܬ̥ܝ̱ ܕܳܢܰܚ ܫܶܡܫܐ؟

When {ʾëmmaṯ} does the sun rise?

ܫܶܡܫܐ ܕܳܢܰܚ ܒܨܰܦܪܐ.

The sun rises in the morning.

2
ܐܰܝܟܐ ܝܳܬ̥ܒ̈ܳܢ ܘܰܡܢܰܨܪ̈ܳܢ ܨܶܦܪ̈ܐ؟

Where do birds sit/dwell and chirp?

ܥܰܠ ܐܝܠܳܢ̈ܐ.

On the trees.

3
ܠܰܐܝܟܐ ܐܳܙܺܠ̱ܝܢ ܐ̱ܢܳܫ̈ܳܐ ܒܨܰܦܪܐ؟

(To) where do people {#2} go {ʾāzzīn#1} in the morning?

ܐܳܙܺܠ̱ܝܢ ܠܒܶܝܬ̥ܣܶܦܪܐ.

They go to school.

#1 CAL: In Syriac and Babylonian [Jewish Babylonian Aramaic (tmr)] the lamadh is often retro-assimilated to zayin when there is no separating vowel in the form, presumably reflecting a more colloquial form, since such is always the case in spoken Aramaic.; N §183 (4); Muraoka p. 14.; Thackston p. 11.

#2 N §146 This word is never found in the emph. st. in the plural; but in the constr. st. and with suff. it is found only in the pl. Here, it is used in the emph. st. and its pronunciation seems to be identical to the one of the singular form.

Memo

Qarahbaš [vol. 3, L. 1] — ܗܶܪܓܐ 1: ܒܶܝܬ̥ܣܶܦܪܐ ܕܝܠܰܢ

2014-04-07

ܡܰܘܬܒܐ

ܚܳܕܰܪ

ܡܶܫܬܥܶܝܢ

ܩܶܪܝܳܢܐ

mawt(ə)ḇā

ḥāḏar

mešt(ə)ʕēn

qeryānā

m. seat

to go around (pt)

they play

m. calling, reading

ܐܶܫܬܥܝ (ʾešt(ə)ʕī) √ŠʕY “to please”, Ethpeel “to play”
(< *ʾeṯš(ə)ʕī N §26A) — the pf. of 3rd-Y has ī except in Peal. — Ethpeel participles are like in Peal, except that fem. has a short a in front of -yā(n).
Sg ܡܶܫܬܥܶܐ and ܡܶܫܬܰܥܝܐ Pl ܡܶܫܬܥܶܝܢ and ܡܶܫ̈ܬܰܠܝܳܢ.

Mhagy. = fuller / Marhṭ. = quick

N §§17 and 52 suggest that a məhagyānā denotes a fuller vowel, mainly when one of the letters is a liquid [here it means NLR, and probably also M (cf. §31)] or ʕʔHYW. Alan mentions the same nine letters in Lv 2 L 41. The two are talking about the same thing, and according to Nöldeke, marhəṭānā (ES marɇhṭānā) = a very short vowel, məhagyānā = a fuller vowel,
e.g. the ḙ (2017-06-04; WAS ě @ 2016-11-15; WAS: ḙ @ 2014-10-10; WAS: i̱) in
ܚܸܟ̱ܡܬ݂ܵܐ (ḥeḵḙm(ə)ṯā) N §17 ⟦sapientia⟧,
also written like
ܚܸܟ݂ܡ݈ܬ݂ܵܐ
with the line below the third letter.

2014-05-02

Phonetically between the 1st and 2nd C of CCC

U+0747 SYRIAC OBLIQUE LINE ABOVE◌݇ is acute-like, i.e. a line from upper right to lower left.
U+0748 SYRIAC OBLIQUE LINE BELOW◌݈ is grave-like, i.e. a line from upper left to lower right [2014-08-23: except in Noto Sans Syriac Eastern, where both are acute-like].
Alan’s mhagyānā, however, is a line from upper right to lower left.
Also note that the word marhəṭānā (ES marɇhṭānā) itself has a marɇhṭānā in it, even though the 3rd letter is H (and the 2nd letter is R): ܡܲܪܗ݇ܛܵܢܵܐ [from rheṭ “to run”, ʾarheṭ “to make (something) run, to drive, Gram. to let the voice pass on quickly”]. It seems that often a quicker pronunciation — marɇhṭānā — is used when a fuller pronunciation is expected, while the opposite is rarer. Apparently ES ɇ and ḙ come between the 1st and 2nd of three consecutive consonants [which is true: see blow], unlike normal ə, which comes between the 2nd and 3rd: e.g. ḥeḵ-mṯ-ā → ḥe-ḵḙm-ṯā (as opposed to ḥeḵ-məṯā), which Nöld. writes
ܚܸܟ̱ܡܬ݂ܵܐ
and Alan writes
ܚܸܟ݂ܡ݈ܬ݂ܵܐ (except that his oblique line is from upper right);
both are read as if written
ܚܸܟܸܡܬ݂ܵܐ (ḥeḵem(ə)ṯā).

2014-08-22

Mhagy. if the 2nd C = LRNM/YW/ʔʕH

(mhagyānā) N §17, §52; Alan 41

ܡܗܰܓ̊ܝܳܢܐ (m(ə)hag(g)yānā, Nöld. mehagyānā, CAL mhaggyānā) is an inserted vowel, or a diacritic used in East Syriac to indicate the existance of such a vowel.
This vowel is inserted after the first C in CC(ə)C — that is, typically after the second letter in CvCC(ə)Cv, and usually when the third letter [the 2nd C of CCC] is a sonorant (LRNMYW, sometimes also B1) or a guttural (ʔʕH, sometimes also Ḥ); but if the third lettter is ʾAlap̄, the vowel might be inserted after it (N §34); also, if the second letter is a vowel mark for the first, it doesn’t count as the “second letter” for the purpose of this section (Cf. N §122).
The inserted vowel is typically e (ES i), sometimes a, rarely è (Cf. N §135); and it is more than a schwa though being short.
For example, if an ḙ is inserted in ܐܰܕܪܟܶܗ (ʾaḏr(ə)-ḵèh), the result is ʾa-ḏḙr(ə)-ḵèh.

Marɇhṭānā, on the other hand, is a very short e in East Syriac, which may be inserted in the same position when a Mhagyānā is not used — typically when the third letter is not a sonorant nor a guttural. For example, ʾeṯk(ə)-ṯeḇ may become ʾeṯɇk(ə)-ṯeḇ.

In a typical case, Mhagyānā and Marhṭānā are written as a horizontal line below/above the second letter in CvCC(ə)Cv, respectively: e.g.
ܐܲܕ̱ܪܟܹܗ.

Sometimes they are written as an oblique line below/above the third letter, respectively: e.g.
ܐܲܕܪ݈ܟܹܗ.

Read a horizontal line as “Insert a vowel after this consonant.”; read an oblique line as “Insert a vowel before this consonant.”

2014-10-07: (1) In Mt5:9, tQr has a Mhagyānā: ܢܸܬ݂ܩ݈ܪܘܿܢ (neṯḙq(ə)-rṓn ?). However, this is probably a fluke; the exact same word is written with a Marhṭānā in Romans 9:26.
(2) Sometimes the oblique line is written on the 1st C of CCC:
ܐܸܬ݂݇ܩܪܝܼܘ Jn2:2;
ܬܸܬ݂݇ܩܪܸܐ 1Th5:27;
ܢܸܬ݂݇ܩܛܸܠ Revelation 13:10.

#3 This explains one of the four “exceptions” in Alan 41: ܬܵܘܪ݇ܗܘܿܢ (tâwɇr-hṓn) “their ox”; the other three are explained in the “Mots isolés” section.

#4 Mt9:13, etc. N §52B has another example where there is a full(er) vowel before a Ḥ: ܬܷܕܰܚܠܻܝܢ [te-ḏaḥ-līn] for ܬܷܕܚܠܻܝܢ “you-f will fear” √TḤL.
This word has a Marhṭānā in P-NY, however:
ܠܵܐ ܬܸܕ݂ܚ݇ܠܝܼܢ (teḏɇḥ-līn) “You-f should not fear” (Lk1:30) and ܠܵܐ ܬܸܕ݂݇ܚܠܝܼܢ (Jn12:15).
N §52B also has two example with a full vowel + B, but these are not written with a Mhag. in P-NY.

She, then, went out; and [was] saying to her mother: “What shall I beg him?” [Her mother was] saying to her: “The head of Jṓḥa(n)nān the Buptist.” (Mark 6:24⁎)

Impf. *nešʔal > nešal; + V-suf: *nešʔəlīw(hy) > *nešʔelīw(hy) > nešelīw(hy) // P-NY has a Mhag. line below the 3rd C of CCC, as if ʔeš-ʔḙ-līw; but when the ʔ is dropped, ʾešḙ(ʔ)līw and ʾeš(ʔ)ḙlīw are the same thing.
// MS Syriac 148 (Mingana Collection) has ܐܸܫ̱ܐܠܝܼܘ̇݇ܗܝ, with a textbook Mhag. for ʾe-šḙʾ-līw(hy); the dot above W is probably just a general dot for a verb.

Maʕɇm-ḏā-nā (not Ma-ʕḙm-) is a mot isolé.
Syr148 also has ܡܲܥ̄ܡܕܵܢܐ.

For the first part, S. has ܘܢܦܩܬ ܗܝ ܛܠܝܬܐ ܐܬܡܠܟܬ ܒܐܡܗ
(ʾeṯ-malkaṯ b = Ethpe. consulted someone); this is slightly more colorful: “So the girl went out and consulted her mother.”
The same line in P. looks like a literal translation of Greek: ἡ δὲ ἐξελθοῦσα εἶπε(ν) τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῆς, “She, then, [after] going out, said to her mother”. Both in S. and P. the verb “to say” is used as a participle, almost in the present tense, making the conversation more vivid as if it were taking place here and now; while in the Greek version, the conversation is simply reported as “she said”, “she said”, which is more compact and tidier.

2016-11-15 Marɇhṭānā connecting ʔ and Ṣ (P-NY, Mt6:34).
ܬܹܐܨ݇ܦܘܼܢ “you guys will worry” (√yṣp), written tè-ʾɇṣ-pūn instead of tēṣpūn.
In this case, probably the mark means that ܬܐܨ should be read as one syllable.

2017-12-15 [Mhag+Y]
ܐܸܬ݂̱ܝܼܕܲܥ ܗ݇ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܹܗ ܓܹܝܪ ܫܡܹܗ
(Mk6:14)
This is like ܐܸܬ݂̱ܝܠܸܕ݂ in Mingana 89, except the Yod has a ḥḇāṣā dot.

#1 ܫܠܶܡ ܠܶܗ lit. “came to an end for him/it”;
perhaps like, “came to its end” as in
ܫܠܶܡ ܠܶܗ ܙܰܒ̥ܢܐ “The time is completed” Mt 1:15.
Could be “This book has come to an end for him” (He has finished it).

In the year to come {#4} {qāḏmā pt-f of qḏam}, I’m going up {pt of sleq, intr.} to the class/grade that is higher, and I’m carrying/receiving {pt of šqal} a [text]book bigger/greater than this.

2014-09-29: #4 This is confusing, but the meaning is obvious from the context: lit. “year that goes before”=“year that is in front of us”=“the new year to come (that is waiting for us)”.

ܦܘܫ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܐ: ܣܶܕܪܐ ܕܝܠܝ̱ ܪܚܝ̣ܡܐ.

Farewell {lit. “Stay in peace” Alan L. 120}: my beloved class.

ܦܘܫ ܒܰܫܠܳܡܐ: ܟܬ̥ܳܒܐ ܕܝܠܝ̱ ܒܰܣܝܡܐ ܀

Farewell: my sweet [text]book.

ܪܚܺܝܡܐ = emph. st. of
ܪܚܺܝܡ i.e. pass. pt. of
ܪܚܶܡ

ܒܰܣܝܡ = pass. pt. (Verbal adj.) of
ܒܣܶܡ Peal (intr) “to be fragrant, to be sweet” — Originally there was a after the 1st rad. in pass-pt (N §110);
Thackston §12.1 Orthographically similar to the passive participle is the adjectival pattern paʿʿil (CaCCiC) [...] Care must be taken not to confuse the two

Indeed a poor man will not be [treated] like others unless he has knowledge {f.} or {-ve} innate talent {n.}; if he should have them {n.pl.!}, however, many people would be jealous {invideō ēre} greatly.

2014-04-05

5. Nisi īnsidiae patērent, ferrum eius maximē timērēmus.

If his plot were not clear {pateō ēre} [but it is in fact clear], we would fear {timeō ēre} his sword very much.

If tougher and stronger guards had gone hastily {contendō ere#1} to your house, alas, you never would have undergone {suscipiō ere cēpī} such great crimes and all of these men would not have died {occidō ere}.

#1 To direct or bend one's course eagerly somewhere; or, neutr., to strive to get to a place, to seek to arrive at, to go, march, or journey hastily to, etc. (Lewis–Short)

You say that you really prefer the fortune and habits of the ancient common people; but if someone should suddenly lead you to those things (=give those things to you, OR take you to the past world), you would refuse {recūsō} their mode of life.

2014-04-15

7. Minus saepe errēs, sī sciās quid nesciās.

You would err less often, if you should know what you do not know. (Publilius Syrus)

You will dine well, O my Fabullus, at my place
for a few days (if the gods are favorable toward you)—
if with you {tē-cum} you bring {adferō attulī} a good and great
dinner, not without a shining girl,
and wine and wit {sāle salis} and all laughters;

Can it be that Philippus, the king of Macedonians, would have wanted the first elements of literature to be taught {trādō ere} to Alexandrus, his own son, by Aristoteles, the greatest philosopher of his era {aetās tātis}? Or (can it be that) he would have undertook this very important duty, if he had not very wisely believed that the beginning {initium} of studies {studium} relate to {pertineō} the whole?

As QFM, with a great plan, had very forcefully recaptured Tarentum and Salinator (who was in the citadel {arx arcis f}, as the city had been lost) had said, “Thanks to me, QF, you recaptured Tarentum,” Fabius said laughing, while I was hearing, “Certainly, indeed if you had not lost the city, I would have never recaptured it.”

More lit. “he saw [such] a spike that its head [was] high.” Since rām is in the abs. st., it should be predicative, i.e. its head is/was high.

2014-03-15 This can be understood as topic-subject.
“About the spike, (it is true that) its head was high.”
“He saw the spike, about which (it is true that) its head was high.”

2014-03-17 Maybe think this as something like a 連体修飾節 in Japanese:
“頭が高い麦の穂”;
or in Classic Japanese: “麦の穂の頭のいと高きを…” (the same word order).

2014-03-06

ܘܫܰܐܶܠ ܠܰܐܒܐ ܕܝܠܶܗ: ܠܡܳܢܐ ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܐܰܒܐ، ܫܶܒܠܐ ܗܳܕܶܐ ܪܝܫܳܗ̇ ܗܳܟ̥ܰܢ ܪܳܡ؟

And he asked {šaʾʾel Pa.} his father: Why, O great (=lit, my load, i.e. “sir”) Father, is this spike’s head thus {hāḵan: ⁂CANADA doesn’t have this word} high?

More lit. “Why—this (f) spike (f)—[is] her head (m) thus high (m)?” The meaning seems obvious, but the structure feels strange. It’s almost like double subjects—a topic subject + the logical subject of a predicative adjective—as in
この象は（その）鼻が長い,
or この麦の穂は、その頭が高い,
or even 私は目が悪い.
A clear-cut way to say this would be “the head of this spike...”
ܪܝܫܐ ܕܫܶܒܠܐ (ܕܫܶܒܰܠܬ̥ܐ) ܗܳܕܶܐ
or ܪܝܫܳܗ̇ ܕܫܶܒܠܐ (ܕܫܶܒܰܠܬ̥ܐ) ܗܳܕܶܐ.

Maybe this is an example of the topic-comment sentence in Syriac. This sentence type, which is fairly common in Semitic languages in general, consists of a topic that is not the logical subject of the comment part of the sentence; a referent pronoun in the comment part indicates the relationship of the topic to the comment [Thackston p. 105; Cf. Mura §113]: “[Speaking of] this spike (=topic), its head is so high (=comment).”
[2016-01-06 See also: Greenspahn, An Introduction to Aramaic (2007), Lesson 13, p. 69 “casus pendens”]

Now that I think about it,
John 12:47 (He who listens to my words and does not observe them—I do not judge him)
従わない者は、これを裁かない。
is just like
戦力は、これを保持しない。 in which
従わない者 and 戦力 are topics, but not logical subjects.